Several days ago we noticed a female mule deer just next to the driveway! I got out, and using the car as a blind, was able to get several photos. Also, on a hike to Lily Lake yesterday I found a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and on the lake several Ring-necked Ducks. We have also had several additional sightings of Townsend’s Solitaires, and found more bear tracks coming back from Lily Lake. Additionally, on the return trip from the lake, we found a wild parsley that I took close-ups of. Here they are!
These are photos of the bear’s front paws. You can compare the size of the front paws with that of the hind paws previously posted, with my hand in both pictures.
Here you can see two of the forepaws together.
This is either a plant from the Lomatium genus or a Whiskbroom Parsley. Both have a very distinctive flower structure.
This is only the second Ruby-crowned Kinglet that I have found in Leadville, despite them calling often.
This is a male Ring-necked Duck, one of the few species of ducks to be seen at high altitudes.
Despite their name, it is very hard to see the bronze ring on the ducks’ neck.
The mule deer was very cooperative and did not react very much to my presence.
Although we did not see anything the deer frequently looked in one direction, for reasons we did not understand.
This Townsend’s Solitaire was seen on the Mineral Belt Trail, and was one of two seen in as many days.
In the past few days I took many photos, due to the fact that I have discovered that in a meadow near the house there are many opportunities for close-up photos of the plants, rocks, stumps, and more, so I have spent a lot of time lying on my stomach taking pictures of the dirt. Also, yesterday at breakfast looking out the window just a few feet away we found a snowshoe hare making the change from white to brown. It had white ears and white feet, but a brown body. Additionally on the deck a male hummingbird visited the feeder, and on looking back at my photos, it could have been a Ruby-throated Hummingbird: a eastern bird that is rare in Colorado. Therefore, I have many photos to share!
An old tree stump can still provide excellent photography, no matter how decrepit it is.
This plant is potentially the arnica plant, providing oil that helps sore muscles.
This lichen may be dead, but it still is an excellent photography subject.
This plant is called Sedum, and is a common plant here.
We did not have the best weather yesterday, and the clouds wreathed most of the peaks in mist, but provided brief views of Homestake Peak.
Due to the black mask above the red gorget, this bird may be a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a rare sighting in Colorado.
However, since both of the photos are of the head in the same position, it is hard to tell whether it is an actual black mask or just a trick of the iridescent throat feathers.
In this photo of the Snowshoe Hare you can see how its ears are still white, yet the body is gray-brown.
The hare was quite calm, and allowed me to go out on the deck to obtain these photos.
In this photo you can see the white feet along with the ears that are the remnant of the hare’s winter plumage.
This is the plant Cinquefoil, which means “five leaves”, and you can see the five leaves on the plant.
We found this beautiful block of rose quartz at a lake in Camp Hale, and the rock surprisingly did not move as I took this photo.
This is False Solomon’s Seal, a beautiful white flower that we found at Camp Hale.
Also at Camp Hale I was able to get my best Wilson’s Warbler photo ever, as they commonly hide in willows and move around fast, so I was lucky to get this.
These strange towers on the lichen are in fact the fruiting bodies of the lichen, providing very interesting natural phenomenon.
On one day we had a large rainstorm, giving these pine trees this dew-laden look, and with the light shining through it the trees glow.
The dew also landed on these Chiming Bells, and when viewed close up the individual droplets magnified the beauty of this particular specimen tenfold.
The late evening light shining through the trees created a wonderful look, and provided this beautiful photo.
